Too Pensive to Notice

Chapter Ten

Ophelia couldn't sleep properly for those two nights before her meeting with the ladies especially after trying to call on both Elizabeth and Prudence and being told that they were out. Both butlers, it seemed, were given the same instructions;

I. Tell her we are out

II. Avoid eye contact

III. Don't allow any chitchat

IV. Don't make way for her to step in and suggest waiting for us

Ophelia could act as if she was angry and would not forgive the girls for a long time but in truth she was too exhilarated from what they had given her. She absolutely needed this; she was extremely mournful after the scene in the masquerade and remembering that another birthday was coming up with her nearing the age of "spinsterhood" according to her mother.

She was in the hallway fifteen minutes prior to noon. The ladies arrived at the door in Prudence's carriage, whisked her in and took her to Oxford Street.
"To know where to proceed from here, you must solve this riddle," Renditia said handing her a paper with some scribbling on it. It took Ophelia a minute to read the scribbling and realize it was a sort of letter from a queen talking about her precious diadem with a faint drawing of it at the bottom.

"Is that a diadem?" Ophelia asked flabbergasted.

The girls just smiled and led her to a jewellery store where they bought her the most striking Greek diadem she had ever seen. Its golden hue was astonishingly bright and all the miniature flowers and vine leaves on it made it more appealing.

"I cannot believe you girls, why would you do this? I mean it is gorgeous, I love it but this is absolute insanity!" Ophelia was almost screaming once they were back inside the carriage.

"A goddess must always wear a diadem during her ball." And that was all the explanation that was offered to her even with all her endless prodding questions.

The girls took her next to their favourite tea room where they ate cake to their heart's desire.

Ophelia could only imagine what the girls would do next. She knew it wasn't over because the girls still looked like they were scheming and so she wasn't too surprised when Elizabeth showed up in her room the next day and demanded that she get herself dressed, brushed and adorned as quickly as possible.

Ophelia knew that her diadem must be part of what will happen next and so she chose a creamy coloured dress with frocks embroidered with golden threads. The diadem cradled her high chignon to perfection and she truly looked like an illustration of a Greek goddess.

Ophelia and Elizabeth arrived to Prudence's house to find that a small party had been arranged in Ophelia's honour. And of course according to the girl's measures, a small party included over forty guests, violet bouquets of tulips and a huge cake along with music.

Ophelia enjoyed her evening immensely; she danced, laughed and was absolutely comfortable with herself all at the same time. Her parents were also extremely pleasant and her mother delivered no remarks of any kind which was an achievement.

The girls had one more gift stored for Ophelia and this one was what almost made her the laughingstock of her society, not because of the ear piercing scream that came out, but because she almost lost all control of her emotions and started crying like a new born baby. They had gotten her an exact replica of her long lost bracelet that she adored, but had unfortunately lost last season. So she decided it was time for her to tell the girls what she had already planned to tell them the day before.